Worship Bass Pedalboards

[MTN.bass72]

I don't know....beta tested a few pedals as I mentioned. Field reports:

-the John K Pork Loin was very nice, but IMHO my long-standing champion the VMT still reigns supreme. The John K might have more usefulness on my secular board, so it will do up against the BFBBB. I LOVE the BFBBB and it's only downside IMHO is the lack of a blend.

Next time, I'm going to put the VMT up against my SolidGoldFX Beta drive I got from @MTN.bass72 - especially if it's a P with flats week.

-I had Spencer do the "Tim-tuned" mod on the Octabvre. It's got a LOT more headroom now. I noticed it was pushing the Pork Loin into distortion when I had it on, so I started the song with the drive off and towards the end during the climax I engaged it for level 2 synth bass. So, while its a big improvement, I still miss the Boss OC-2!!

So to sum it up for the quick readers, my OC-2 and the VMT remain undefeated!

(for reference this week I used a Fender P with old TI flats)

I'm still curious about the BIT. But I've tried so many drives and not being 100% satisfied, I'm starting to believe that maybe I'm just not a drive kinda guy.
I do have a Broughton version of the BBBOD that I like pretty well, though. It has a second "chip" .. sorry, my technical terminology is lacking ... that, if I remember correctly from the guy I got it from, it changes the gain from the original BBBOD to a bit more gain... I've never swapped it out though.

 

[Adamixoye]

I have something approximating GAS for the MP-201 but even if I could get past that price, the form factor is just not pedalboard friendly at all.

 

[kevk]

So here's a quick Q for you pedal fans... I'm seeing a lot of Reverb pedals on boards these days. How are you guys using them in practice. I've always avoided reverb on bass having come up from the 80s with a "make the bass punchy and solid" kinda ethos to tone. While I do like a touch of chorus and trem, anything that deliberately "washed out" and "unfocused" the tone seemed like o no-no.

Really interested to hear your perspective. Is it for creating pad-like washes, for adding ambience (which always seemed odd to me), always on or for specific tones/applications.

I have two reverb pedals (IE Nimbus + TCE T2) and will keep either on my board, dependent on application.

I use the Nimbus at church, ranging from all the time to only a particular song, usually with a very, very subtle ambience/short sustain setting...but always with the bass control knob completely off. It provides a nice trebly presence to a note (no mud) and you can still play quickly, with great definition. (Imo, the only way bass reverb really works in a band setting...)

[EDIT/ADD: In our FOH mix, everything has reverb applied (including drums) except the bass. They didn't like to add bass reverb, because it got muddy...the Nimbus solved that problem]

I will actually increase the sustain (and OD) for Daniel Bashta-type songs (Unlock My Roar, Awakening) where the bass line is cool and unusual, more lead prominent...

My T2 is a very narrow-use reverb...that's more for when I'm working on something very "ethereal" at home, with my 6 string or acoustic bass (strung e-c)...it works very well with my Alter Ego v2 delay pedal...

I also have a TCE Ditto, and just picked up a TCE WireTap recorder for some real fun with the Delay/T2 combo...

I gave away my TCE Hall of Fame, after I got the Nimbus...the ability to dial out the low end sustain, made a reverb pedal more viable for me within the band setting.

 

[SteveC]

I've tried so many drives and not being 100% satisfied, I'm starting to believe that maybe I'm just not a drive kinda guy.

Me, too.

 

[simotek]

So here's a quick Q for you pedal fans... I'm seeing a lot of Reverb pedals on boards these days. How are you guys using them in practice. I've always avoided reverb on bass having come up from the 80s with a "make the bass punchy and solid" kinda ethos to tone. While I do like a touch of chorus and trem, anything that deliberately "washed out" and "unfocused" the tone seemed like o no-no.

Really interested to hear your perspective. Is it for creating pad-like washes, for adding ambience (which always seemed odd to me), always on or for specific tones/applications.

I have 1 on my board well 2 if you count the MS-3, I don't use them during normal bass playing, I have them as well as a delay pedal on there for messing with ambient soundscapes. When I use my board to emulate a cello or do volume swells i'll add a little light reverb.

 

[rafitoprtx]

Drives/distortion/fuzz is where I get in trouble. Can't find what I want for an "always on" slightly driven tube kind of thing. Just a touch. My guitar player has 4 different whatever's for different levels of drive.
Try out the Sparkle drive mod.

Filter, chorus, octave are pretty easy. I could buy those in town in a heartbeat. The drives...not sure what to do.

 

[Rocksolid]

I keep my board small. I have a tuner/mute, my DI and my Rolls for my wired IEM's. 99% of my playing is DI/IEM gigs.

I have an M87 but I find - even after some suggested tweaks - I don't really need it so it may come off and maybe try an octave instead. I also have a filter pedal for a couple tunes that the cover band does. I use the same board for both bands as I didn't want to double up.

I find a compressor a must if I am using a filter pedal to keep the quacks under control volume wise, especially if I am varying how I dig in or slap to get it to react differently.

 

[simotek]

Drives/distortion/fuzz is where I get in trouble. Can't find what I want for an "always on" slightly driven tube kind of thing. Just a touch. My guitar player has 4 different whatever's for different levels of drive.

Filter, chorus, octave are pretty easy. I could buy those in town in a heartbeat. The drives...not sure what to do.

I'm using a Two Notes Le Bass, for a slightly driven tube thing, it has a tube which helps. Also makes the clean sound awesome as well.

 

[MTN.bass72]

Came off the Nano and back to the Mini..
Didn't want to, but I didn't want my Anadime on a different "fun" board, and call me anal, but I like seeing the meters on the Line 6, so it's back up top...
Waiting on some EBS flat cables, hoping they'll be more tidy and less obtrusive, in some cases, than these Hose cables.

It's not too pretty right now, but sounds really good

 

[SteveC]

I find a compressor a must if I am using a filter pedal to keep the quacks under control volume wise, especially if I am varying how I dig in or slap to get it to react differently.

So far so good sans compressor. I put a Boss BB1X for just a a touch of grit. Sounded good at cyber store with my guitar player playing. Going g to try it tomorrow at rehearsal and see how it goes.

I'll get a pic tomorrow. At baseball with Evan right now.

 

[TakeABreak]

Single Pedal Setup

• TakeABreak
• Aug 13, 2017
• multi effect

MS-60B

I know, not exactly a pedal board...
But with tuner, compressor, and parametric eq functions performed admirably by one box, my whole setup fits in a gigbag.
Nice day to walk to church!

 

[Testing123]

Waiting on some EBS flat cables, hoping they'll be more tidy and less obtrusive, in some cases, than these Hose cables.

I purchased those Hosa cables, and later found out about and purchased the EBS flat cables. IMHO, the EBS flat cables were indeed less (as you say) obtrusive. Not sure about the 'tidy' part, but I did like the look of the EBS cables better than the Hosa pancake cables when they're connected in my pedalboard.

Good luck with it...

 

[MTN.bass72]

I purchased those Hosa cables, and later found out about and purchased the EBS flat cables. IMHO, the EBS flat cables were indeed less (as you say) obtrusive. Not sure about the 'tidy' part, but I did like the look of the EBS cables better than the Hosa pancake cables when they're connected in my pedalboard.

Good luck with it...

It took two and a half weeks to get to my house, but I agree, they do look better and to me, are less obtrusive. The round ends on the Hosa made it difficult or impossible to work things I'm certain ways

 

[Rocksolid]

I have always made my own patch leads for my boards with amphenol connectors and Canare cable. I had a noise issue I couldn't get rid of, and plugged in an EBS flat to experiment with something. My noise went away. Not only are they small, they are quiet.

 

[Rayjay]

+1 EBS patch cords are great

 

[ExaltBass]

I get my EBS from Full Compass Audio. Usually in stock with quick shipping. My guy for the last 20+ years is Martin Vire ext 1179, (800-356-5844) tell him Dave sent you - maybe he'll give you a discount

 

[Testing123]

I get my EBS from Full Compass Audio.

As do I, although I order online and as such do not work directly with a sales person.

 

[Rayjay]

I get my EBS from Full Compass Audio. Usually in stock with quick shipping. My guy for the last 20+ years is Martin Vire ext 1179, (800-356-5844) tell him Dave sent you - maybe he'll give you a discount

Good to know, I've been thinking about ordering some more....

 

[franvarin]

Came off the Nano and back to the Mini..
Didn't want to, but I didn't want my Anadime on a different "fun" board, and call me anal, but I like seeing the meters on the Line 6, so it's back up top...
Waiting on some EBS flat cables, hoping they'll be more tidy and less obtrusive, in some cases, than these Hose cables.
View attachment 1185775
It's not too pretty right now, but sounds really good

So, I have a Mesa Subway 800 and was curious about your signal path. I don't see a cable into the input. Are you going into the aux in on the back? And if so, does that bypass the Subway's preamp stage?

 

[MTN.bass72]

So, I have a Mesa Subway 800 and was curious about your signal path. I don't see a cable into the input. Are you going into the aux in on the back? And if so, does that bypass the Subway's preamp stage?

That's correct, from Noble to AUX IN, if you look closely, you can barely see the 1/4" on the left, Speakon on right to the back of the D800